The instant invention relates to eating utensils and more particularly to a disposable support for supporting a set of eating utensils on a table top, counter top or the like.
It has been found that eating utensils can frequently become contaminated with bacteria and/or other foreign substances when they are placed on the surfaces of counter tops, table tops or the like prior to and/or between periods of use. Nevertheless, heretofore it has been common practice to place eating utensils directly on counter tops, table tops or the like in many restaurants, such as sandwich shops and fast-food restaurants. In this connection, food is often served in paper or synthetic wrappings without plates in restaurants of this type, and hence there is often no convenient place for utensils to be rested both prior to and between periods of use other than directly on table tops or counter tops. As a result, there is a significant need for an effective disposable device for supporting eating utensils on table tops and/or counter tops, both prior to and between periods of use.
Devices representing the closest prior art of the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. Pats. Nos. to DODGE, 227,224; MOORE, 799,612; FRESH, 1,264,914; PICKERING, 2,354,968; LUNDE, 2,567,817; GRAY, 2,615,318; MULLING, 2,651,927; LEE, 2,789,349; and BROWN, Des. 196,133. However, these references fail to disclose an effective disposable support for supporting a set of eating utensils in the manner of the device of the subject invention, and hence they are believed to be of only general interest.
The instant invention provides an effective support for eating utensils comprising an elongated support frame made from a substantially rigid sheet material, the support frame including spaced, substantially parallel, transversely extending front and rear edges, and an elongated transversely extending raised central support portion which extends between the front and rear edges. The central support portion is formed with first, second and third transversely spaced apertures therein which are adapted for receiving and supporting a spoon, a knife, and a fork, respectively. Specifically, the first aperture is preferably formed so that it includes arcuate front and rear edges, and it is adapted for supporting the eating end of a spoon on the front and rear edges thereof; and the second aperture is preferably formed in the configuration of an elongated V-shaped slot which extends in substantially perpendicular relation to the front and rear edges of the support frame so that it is adapted for receiving and supporting the blade end of a knife in a substantially vertical on-edge disposition therein. The third aperture is preferably formed so that it includes spaced, substantially parallel, transversely extending front and rear edges, and it is adapted for supporting the eating end of a table fork on the front and rear edges thereof.
In a first embodiment of the support of the instant invention, the upper support portion is defined by substantially flat front and rear wall portions which extend upwardly from the front and rear edges, respectively; and are integrally hingeably joined at an apex. In this embodiment, the support further comprises a bottom wall including a first bottom wall portion which is integrally hingeably connected to the front wall portion along the front edge, and a second bottom wall portion which is integrally hingeably connected to the rear wall portion along the rear edge. Further, one of the bottom wall portions has an elongated slot formed therein, and the other bottom wall portion further comprises a peripheral tab thereon which is receivable in the slot for detachably connecting the first and second bottom wall portions in an assembled position wherein they cooperate to define the bottom wall. This embodiment of the support preferably further comprises salt and pepper packets which are releasably secured to the bottom wall adjacent opposite ends thereof, and the first and second bottom wall portions, the front wall portion and the rear wall portion are preferably all integrally formed from a sheet of cardboard material so that the support can be effectively stored in a substantially flat sheet-like disposition and then quickly assembled prior to use.
A second embodiment of the support of the instant invention includes a raised central support portion having front and rear edges and including substantially flat front and rear wall portions which extend upwardly and together from the front and rear edges, respectively, to an apex. In this embodiment, the support further comprises a bottom wall portion which is hingeably joined to the front and rear edges of the support frame so that it extends therebetween, and the bottom wall has opposite first and second ends which are disposed at transversely opposite ends of the support. This embodiment of the support further comprises first and second drip tabs which are hingeably joined to the first and second ends of the bottom wall, respectively, and are normally positioned so that they extend upwardly between the front and rear wall portions. Further, the bottom wall preferably has an elongated score line formed therein which divides the bottom wall into front and rear sections, respectively, and the first and second drip tabs preferably also have score lines formed therein which are aligned with the score line in the bottom wall. Accordingly, by hinging the drip tabs outwardly, the front and rear bottom wall sections can be hinged outwardly along the score line in the bottom wall to move the support to a substantially flat, collapsed disposition wherein the front and rear bottom wall sections are overlaid on one another and the front and rear walls are also overlaid on one another. Accordingly, the second embodiment of the support of the instant invention is also adapted to be effectively transported and stored in a substantially flat collapsed disposition, but it can nevertheless be readily assembled by hingeably moving the front and rear wall portions outwardly until the front and rear bottom wall sections are in substantially coplanar relation, and then folding the drip tabs upwardly.
In a third embodiment of the support of the instant invention, the support frame is formed in a substantially rigid, arcuate configuration so that it extends arcuately upward and rearwardly from the front edge to the uppermost portion of the support frame and then arcuately rearwardly and downwardly to the rear edge of the support frame. This embodiment of the support preferably does not include a bottom wall, and hence it is effectively adapted to be assembled in nested relation with other utensil supports of similar configuration.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective disposable support for eating utensils.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an effective disposable support for eating utensils which can be stored in a collapsed disposition.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective support for eating utensils which can be made in a relatively inexpensive cardboard or plastic construction.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.